Following thr tragic death of local teenager Amy Gonzales the BBC Look East team visited the Alconbury Driving Centre to see what is being done regarding young driver training including skid training.
This is their video report.
Andrew Cropper (narration): ‘18 year old, Amy Gonzales was knocked down by a drink-driver in St Neots on Christmas morning nearly 3 years ago. She died a month later; another teenager who became a victim of a collision involving a young driver. Her parents have campaigned on the issue ever since’
Melanie Gonzales: ‘We need to get these young drivers, when they start driving, just to realise how dangerous it can be driving a car. I don’t think a lot of them realise that just driving a car in the wrong way makes it become a lethal weapon.’
Andrew Cropper (narration): ‘Today it was reporters spinning round Alconbury Airfield, but when the new course opens for business next week, it will be a mix of teenagers at school and fee paying adults.’
Terry Turner: ‘You could think this was purely commercial, but it’s not. 90% of what we’re going to be doing here is going to be working with young drivers. We know that they are 3-4 times more likely to have a bad collision than any other age group.’
Student: ‘We’ve learned basically how to drive and we get taught about it to help us out we come to taking our driving test.’
Andrew Cropper: ‘So youngsters who have done courses like this before have given it the thumbs up. Well now it’s time to give it a go myself.’
Andrew Cropper: ‘Right then Jim, how did I do?’
Jim Hawkins: ‘I’ve got my score sheet here, and I’m afraid it’s only 3 out of 10 at the moment.’
Andrew Cropper: ‘More work needed.’
Jim Hawkins: ‘A lot more.’
Andrew Cropper (narration): ‘While today was just a bit of fun, there remains a serious side. It’s hoped this course will offer a chance to reduce the heavy death toll of young drivers on our regions roads. Andrew Cropper, BBC Look East, Alconbury Airfield’